We have been talking to our good friends in the Great State of Mississippi over the past few weeks, and the word on the dirt roads of Rebel Country in and around the Square in Oxford is that Hugh Freeze’s future employment at Ole Miss hinges on the final..or maybe “signaled” punishment handed down by the NCAA. None of our friends could get a straight answer to a straight question, but they did get the feeling that the following will happen relative to Hugh Freeze’s future:

If Hugh Freeze is suspended for 6 or more football games

AND/OR

Ole Miss gets a 2-plus year bowl ban

AND/OR

Ole Miss loses 12+ scholarships or 2+ more than they have self-imposed

Then the Hugh Freeze Era at Ole Miss will be over.

We haven’t a clue when the NCAA would rule on the Ole Miss situation, but it’s already late March and we guess the final ruling could come down before the end of the year which might indeed be Hugh Freeze’s last in Oxford, and with that in mind let’s get to the Rebels 2017 Football Schedule:

In Hugh Freeze’s sixth season at Ole Miss with no NCAA issues the Rebels would probably be favored to win 8+ games, but the NCAA has already caused some damage to Ole Miss football with more damage coming even if the NCAA agrees with the folks in Oxford’s self-imposed punishment.

How many wins do we think Ole Miss will have in 2017?

Overall Record: 5 – 7

SEC Record: 2 – 6

Just a guess…maybe the NCAA will “signal” to the administration at Ole Miss that if “X” happens meaning that if Hugh Freeze and maybe others are relieved of their duties at the school the NCAA will accept the Ole Miss self-imposed penalties, but even if the NCAA doesn’t punish the Rebels further it’s looking like 2017 will be a losing season and we find it hard to believe Hugh Freeze could survive that unless the NCAA doesn’t impose any other penalties and then maybe just maybe…BARELY…Hugh Freeze will survive in Oxford past this coming December.

Here’s how Hugh Freeze gets out of his current bind still holding the head coaching job at Ole Miss:

1. The NCAA accepts the Ole Miss self-imposed penalties or barely adds to them

2. Nothing else comes out implicating the Ole Miss football program

3. Ole Miss wins at least 5 games overall and 2 games in SEC play in 2017

Yes…Hugh Freeze can pull a Houdini-trick and get out of this mess, but the margin for error is smaller than paper thin….it’s Atom Thin!